... disrupting nature and natural landscapes, most notably: * intensive agriculture replacing traditional farming; this combined with the subsidies of industrial farming has had an enormous effect on western rural landscapes and continues to be a threat. * mass tourism affecting mountains and coasts. * the policies pursued in the industry, transport and energy sectors having a direct and damaging impact on the coasts, major rivers (dam construction and associated canal building) and mountain landscapes (main road networks). * the strong focus of forestry management on economic targets primarily causes the decline in biodiversity, soil erosion and other related effects. The clearest manifestations of the degradation of the natural environment are: * Reduction and fragmentation of habitats and landscapes The expansion of humans activities into the natural environment, manifested by urbanisation, recreation, industrialisation, and agriculture, results in increasing uniformity in landscapes and consequential reduction, disappearance, fragmentation or isolation of habitats and landscapes. It ...

See this essay or coursework document in full right now